2008年8月8日金曜日

Japanese Language Festival in Malaysia

Hi everyone! This is Voon!

Today I just have a small chat with Kazuma. We are talking about Shogi as usual and when I told him about the promotion of Shogi in University of Malaya (http://www.um.edu.my/) he told me to write it in AISEP blog so here I am! ^.^

Actually when I just got back from AISEP in Beijing, I was asked by Tsuda-san, the person in-charge of promoting Shogi in UM (University of Malaya) and also one of the members of Shogi Club in Japan Club (http://www.jckl.org.my/), to help him because:

1. I love Shogi; and
2. I'm the only non-Japanese who can play Shogi.

I always wanted to help out people if there's a way to promote Shogi so I agreed to help him out.


On 27th July at 8.00 a.m. we gathered ourselves at the Japan Club and at 8.30 a.m. we went to UM together. Many Japanese were enthusiastic about teaching Shogi to the locals and I was one of them too. ^.^

We reached UM ten minutes later and to my surprise there are a lot of people attending the fair!

The people in the picture above are actually learning how to dance in Japanese style! ^.^ We quickly set up the Shogi sets and since there is still not many people in UM so the Japanese asked me to play a few games first.


This is Naoki and he's only 11-years old! He told me that he learn Shogi from his father and he's very strong! If I'm not mistaken he's about 1 or 2 kyu. He can defeat most of the old Japanese men in Japan Club!



This is me playing against Naoki! ^.^v We played three games and I won two games! ^.^v Actually before this I couldn't beat Naoki at all! But I'm glad I have improve so much that I can win Naoki! Anyways we have a lot of fun!

Kawaii~

After a small rest, I was asked to play against this oji-san...


This is actually my first meeting with him and he is VERY VERY STRONG! I think he's about 2 or 3-dan. We have three games too and I cannot defeat him at all!


Too bad I did not ask for his name. I would very much like him to teach me a few things about Shogi since he is very strong! By the way, did you notice Shoshi-sensei's fan on the table? ^.^


This is me playing Shogi very seriously. LOL. I always wonder why I put my head on my hand when I'm thinking.


A closer look on the game. My friend was yelling boring so we went to explore UM. They have a few activities going on such as teaching people how to make croquette and riceballs and they even provide tea lessons! Instead my friend and I went for a Yukata lesson...

Isn't the girl kawaii? lol. Too bad we did not try on the yukata because I want to go back and help promote Shogi. =.=|||

Anyways we have a lot of fun in UM. Some people actually find Shogi very hard to learn because it's hard to memorise the kanji on the Shogi pieces and they always forget how Gold (Kinsho) and Silver (Ginsho) moves.

Nevertheless I'm looking forward to help out again if there is another opportunity to promote Shogi!

2008年8月1日金曜日

米長会長と対談

今週の水曜日は米長会長とAISEPメンバーの対談がありました!

海外普及に関する米長会長のお話はとても魅力的でした。
やはり海外に普及していくには、その国に拠点ともいうべき場所を作らなきゃいけない。
いかに効率的に将棋を広めていくのか、私たち若者にもできることはたくさんありそうな気がします。

ムービーや写真をたくさん撮ったのですが、まだアップする準備ができていないため、申し訳ありませんが私の写真で我慢してくださいませ。笑

フランス

こんにちは、山内です。

なぜか今はフランスにいます。

30日水曜日夜には、日本将棋連盟の米長邦雄会長との座談会がありました。AISEPとして、将棋とは何か、将棋の未来とは、連盟が果たす役割とは、などについて議論しあうためです。ぼくは翌31日早朝に自宅を出発し、一路ヨーロッパへ辿りついたというわけでした。

明日あたり、AISEP2008参加者のErwannと会います!(たぶん)

米長会長との懇談会については誰かスタッフが書いてくれるはず、またエルワンに会ったら報告しまーす。

これから国立図書館(ホステルから徒歩圏内!)に行って勉強予定。

ではでは。